Chapter 12

Fiona whispered, "What do you plan to do?"

"I have a plan."

Tang En nodded slightly but said nothing. After checking the treasure room, he ordered the door to be locked and returned upstairs.

"Go and gather everyone in the hall of the manor."

After giving the order to the butler, Tang En sat in a chair and began to think deeply. Fiona, worried that the butler might try to escape, followed him.

Roni, who was one of Hogg's men, had to be eliminated, as well as this butler. They both had to die. Although Tang En was not a cold-hearted person, now that he was the lord of Ellington, he had to act like a lord. Enemies who were valuable could be enslaved, but those who were not had to be eliminated to establish his authority.

A moment later, everyone in the manor gathered in the hall. The large manor, with its various servants, maids, and managers, numbered nearly a hundred people. They gathered in the hall, a sea of black, their hearts filled with anxiety and speculation, the hall filled with a heavy murmur.

Tang En raised his eyelids and saw the butler's face, full of flattery.

Tang En felt a wave of disgust and pushed the butler aside.

Fiona nodded slightly to Tang En, indicating that everyone was present. Tang En stood up, and the hall immediately fell silent.

"I know you don't recognize me, but that's fine. Now you do."

When Tang En spoke, he used a bit of magic to transmit his voice directly to everyone's ears using wind elements. It was as if he was right next to them, and a few people with ill intentions immediately felt a chill and dared not act rashly.

Seeing how Tang En effortlessly intimidated the people with just a small trick, Fiona became even more impressed.

"I am Tang En, the new lord of Ellington."

Fiona added, "The former lord, Hogg, attempted to murder Lord Tang En and has been executed!"

"Wh-what!"

There was a collective gasp from the crowd. They clearly didn't expect Hogg to be dead, especially his close subordinates, who were now in a panic.

In their panic, they lost their reason.

"Impossible!"

A manager shouted, "Lord Hogg was appointed by the Imperial Noble Council as the lord of Ellington and is a noble of the empire. You killed him, which is a serious crime!"

The butler immediately whispered in Tang En's ear, "This is the brother of Hogg's lover, responsible for purchasing supplies for the manor kitchen and sometimes delivering supplies to the 'people on the mountain'..."

Tang En nodded and said, "Now, separate all of Hogg's people from the ordinary servants. Hogg's people stand on the left, ordinary servants and laborers on the right, and those you're unsure about in the middle. Any problems?"

"No problems!"

The butler's spirits lifted, and he immediately went to work, knowing that the better he performed, the more likely he was to save his life.

Soon, the people were divided into two distinct groups.

Those on the left were mostly well-dressed and well-groomed, while those on the right were exceptionally plain, similar to the locals.

Tang En pointed to the people on the left and said, "From now on, all of you are dismissed. I don't want to see any of you here by tomorrow."

"What!? You can't do this!"

Hogg's lover's brother shouted, and there was a commotion. Many people glared at the butler with hatred, but he looked smug and didn't care.

"Don't want to leave? Then leave your life behind."

Tang En threw a sword, and Hogg's lover's brother screamed as the sword pierced his chest and pinned him to the floor!

No one expected Tang En to kill so easily.

The opposition immediately ceased.

These people usually relied on Hogg to bully others, but now that Hogg was dead, and Tang En was a ruthless killer, they dared not risk their lives.

"You will continue to work in the manor. Your treatment will remain the same for now."

Tang En wiped his hands and told the people on the right, who immediately showed signs of relief.

Most of these people were locals from Ellington and had no connection to Hogg. Initially, they were worried about being implicated, but they were surprised that Tang En kept them.

Tang En didn't really want to keep these people, but... such a large manor couldn't be managed by one person. Cleaning and maintenance required many people, and it would be a waste to have Fiona do the work of maids. So, he had to keep them.

"Now, pack your things and leave immediately."

Tang En told the people on the left and then instructed the servants on the right, "Watch them one-to-one. If they try to take anything from the manor, report to me immediately."

"Yes, my lord!"

Soon, the hall emptied, leaving only Tang En, Fiona, and the butler.

"My lord, please rest assured. I know these people well and won't make any mistakes."

The butler patted his chest, showing his loyalty, "I will serve you wholeheartedly and make sure these people work diligently."

"Wholeheartedly? Oh."

Tang En looked enlightened, and Fiona immediately turned away. The next moment, a ball of flame shot from Tang En's fingertips, engulfing the butler and burning him to ashes before he could even scream.

"I'm not interested in men, so you have no future."

Tang En rubbed his fingers, still feeling a bit unreal about killing so easily.

Fiona turned back, glanced at the pile of ashes, and asked curiously, "What did you mean by that?"

"What?"

"Because you're not interested in men, he has no future."

"Oh, that's easy to explain," Tang En smiled, "If it were a beautiful woman, I wouldn't mind 'future' talk."

"I see."

Fiona nodded, secretly labeling Tang En as "lecherous."

Unfortunately, she didn't understand the hidden meaning in his words. She underestimated Tang En's lack of principles.

"What do you plan to do next?"

Compared to taking over the manor, Fiona was more concerned about Tang En's plans for Ellington, which would determine whether she could restore the glory of the Golden Rose family.

Tang En said matter-of-factly, "Of course, I will suppress the bandits."

Suppressing the bandits would not only enhance his status among the residents of Ellington but also allow him to reasonably eliminate potential threats, stabilize the surrounding area, and acquire a lot of gold. It was a win-win situation, and Tang En wouldn't let it pass.

That night, Tang En stayed in the manor, and Fiona also stayed without hesitation.

It was Tang En's first night in Prandall. He didn't sleep well, thinking all night about the past, the present, and the future.

When the first ray of sunlight entered the bedroom, Tang En opened his eyes.

He had made up his mind.

Since he couldn't go back, he might as well let go of the past and make a grand impact in this world, doing something big!

When Tang En came out of his room, Fiona was waiting at the door.

Tang En was surprised, then smiled.

Fiona's eyes lit up when she saw Tang En, feeling that he was different from yesterday, not in appearance but in a subtle, indescribable way.

Yesterday, Fiona felt that Tang En was somewhat ethereal, as if he didn't belong to this world. Now, she felt that he was a real, tangible person.

After breakfast, Tang En said, "Fiona, find Elsa and have the militia contact the residents of Ellington. Gather everyone in the square."

"Yes, my lord!"

Fiona immediately found Elsa and relayed Tang En's instructions. Despite Roni's reluctance, the other militia members quickly notified every household in Ellington.

Tang En had just taken a sip of tea when Fiona returned.

"Done? Let's go then."

Tang En was straightforward and set off for the square.

When they arrived, the square was already crowded. Although Ellington was a small town, it had a population of several thousand, and when gathered, it was a significant number.

It was the time when the people of Prandall were preparing for their daily work, but they were gathered here by Tang En, many of them grumbling. They didn't know their lord had changed and thought Hogg was up to something again.

But when Tang En stepped onto the platform, everyone was stunned. Some who had seen him yesterday were especially surprised, wondering why he was up there.

Fiona looked at Tang En, who nodded, and she stepped forward, shouting, "Everyone, please be quiet!"

With the help of the militia, the noise gradually subsided. Fiona continued, "Now, please welcome the lord of Ellington, Lord Tang En, to speak."

A murmur of surprise spread through the crowd.

"What!?"

"Lord? Tang En? Not Hogg?"

"What's going on?"

Usually, if a lord was to be replaced, an announcement would be made a month in advance, and many people would have seen it. This time, however, it was so sudden that all the residents were stunned.

Tang En stepped forward, ignoring their surprise, cleared his throat, and smiled brightly.

"King of the Salted Fish... cough, King of Ellington, I am determined to be it!"